ROLE OF TYPE-SPECIFIC HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS SEROLOGY IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF GENITAL HERPES

Objectives: To investigate the indications for the use of a type speci fic antibody test for herpes simplex virus in a department of genitour inary medicine in the United Kingdom. Method: Retrospective analysis o f case records of 127 patients who accepted the test during a 20 month period. Results/conclusion: The test contributed to patient managemen t in 79% of patients with recurrent genital ulceration of unknown caus e. It was also useful for counselling a number of patients with initia l episodes of disease and the asymptomatic partners of some patients w hen the partners were shown to possess antibodies specific to herpes s implex virus type 2. When evaluating sexual partners, the test was dif ficult to interpret if an isolate from the index case had not been typ ed. Access to viral typing may therefore be a greater priority than se rological testing. As adverse psychological sequelae may follow the id entification of an asymptomatic chronic infection, guidelines for the use of a type specific serological test are proposed.